YOGA CURBS WEIGHT GAINStretching yourself thin? By Selene Yeager (article from Prevention Magazine)The average American adult gains a pounds a year. New research suggests that yoga may help stave off that middle-age spread. A survey that tracked weight gain in 15,500 adults from age 45-55 revealed that the normal-weight-people who practiced yoga at least 30 minutes a week for 4 of those years gained 3 fewer pounds (9.5 versus 12.6) than those who didn't. Even better, overweight yogis lost 5 pounds over the decade, while their non-yoga-practicing peers gained an additional 14.

"Yoga may not be a big calorie burner, but it helps you become more aware of your body, so you're more sensitive to feeling full from overeating" says lead researcher and yoga practitioner Alan R. Kristal, DrPH, of Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle. "Yoga also relieves stress, so you may be less likely to mindlessly stuff yourself."